Conroe ISD Western Art Show showcases Texan western heritage

Best in Show winner Madison Chamberlain, of The Woodlands High School, displays her painting as she stands with her art teacher Jen Lucas for a photo during Saturday’s Conroe ISD Western Art Show.

Best in Show winner Madison Chamberlain, of The Woodlands High School, displays her painting as she stands with her art teacher Jen Lucas for a photo during Saturday’s Conroe ISD Western Art Show.

Photo: Staff Photo By Eric Swist

Photo: Staff Photo By Eric Swist

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Best in Show winner Madison Chamberlain, of The Woodlands High School, displays her painting as she stands with her art teacher Jen Lucas for a photo during Saturday’s Conroe ISD Western Art Show.

Best in Show winner Madison Chamberlain, of The Woodlands High School, displays her painting as she stands with her art teacher Jen Lucas for a photo during Saturday’s Conroe ISD Western Art Show.

Photo: Staff Photo By Eric Swist

Conroe ISD Western Art Show showcases Texan western heritage

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Thousands of residents, students and staff of the Conroe Independent School District gathered inside the Conroe High School Career and Technology Education Building Saturday for this year’s Western Art Show.

The art show allows students within CISD to showcase paintings, drawings, sculptures and other pieces of art focused on western heritage in Texas, CISD visual arts facilitator Cindy Moss said.

With 650 pieces of art allotted for the event, the art show wrapped around the main halls of the Career and Technology Building, showcasing art from kindergarten classes all the way through high school.

“We have students that have done this since kindergarten,” Moss said. “We’ve had at least 2,000 people come through here today, and it’s always been crowded in the past.”

The 12 winning students will have their artwork displayed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Feb. 25 through March 17. High school judging for sculptures will be Jan. 26.

Students with artwork featured in the Rodeo will be eligible to receive scholarships, apply for positions at the Western Art Academy in Kerrville and the Glassell Junior School of Art in Houston. High school winners are also eligible to have their art auctioned off and receive a guaranteed minimum amount of money, Moss said.

Madison Chamberlain, a 10th-grader from The Woodlands High School, won best of show for her entry this year. Her piece was based on a series of photos taken of her cousins at their ranch in 2012.

“I’m just so happy,” Chamberlain said. “I didn’t have any idea I was going to take best of show this year.”

Chamberlain said she was thankful for support from her friends, family and teachers. She is excited to see her artwork on display during the rodeo and is looking to pursue some type of professional career in art.

Jenny Qu and Claire Zhang, McCullough Junior High students, won Best of Show and a Gold Medal, respectively, in the Junior High School showcase. Both did art pieces focusing on horses.

They worked on their projects for upward of 15 weeks and took their art home “all of the time.”

“These two have more grit than most adults have,” Moss said of Qu and Zhang. “They’re both amazing art students and they have what it takes to get it done.”